Taoiseach in U-turn on Revenue decision

In a U-turn, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern yesterday told the Dáil he would not have to wait until the end of the Mahon tribunal before his tax issues could be dealt with.

He added that the Revenue Commissioners could make a decision on his tax status "at any time".

Mr Ahern said: "It is not correct . . . if I said so, I was not correct . . . I can't recall if I did say it . . . if I did say it, I didn't mean to say it . . . that these issues could not be dealt with until the end of the Mahon tribunal. That is not what Revenue said. Revenue said that they were part of the normal process with these issues."

Hopefully, he added, the issues could be cleared up as soon as the Revenue could do so.

When Mr Ahern had completed his reply, Labour leader Eamon Gilmore said he would have to check the written record of the House to "unravel the quadruple negative the Taoiseach has just given me about what the Revenue Commissioners did or did not accept from him".

Mr Ahern said he was advised that, in the professional opinion of his tax advisers, he was fully tax compliant.

"I did make a voluntary disclosure based on their advice."

He added that comprehensive and detailed submissions were made to the Revenue Commissioners, which were being considered.

The disclosure was not made on the basis of an acceptance that there was anything wrong.

"Much of what has appeared in the media about my tax affairs was based on leaked documentation which was out of date."

For legal and professional reasons, said Mr Ahern, neither he nor his advisers were in a position to respond.

Earlier, Mr Gilmore that there had been a report during the Dáil recess on his tax affairs.

If there was a voluntary disclosure, did it not follow that there was an acceptance by the Taoiseach that his tax affairs were not in order ?

Mr Gilmore said the Taoiseach had also said that the Revenue Commissioners could not finalise his tax affairs until the Mahon tribunal had reported.

"Now, that does not appear to be the way in which the Revenue Commissioners dealt with the tax affairs of Charles Haughey and Michael Lowry when their issues were still being examined by the Moriarty tribunal."

Mr Gilmore said that a newspaper headline had said: "Bertie lied about tax." He asked if Mr Ahern had taken any legal action arising from the headline.

The Taoiseach replied that he would need "a whole law library" to keep ahead of one newspaper's coverage of his tax affairs.